A road in Gumi City, South Korea is able to charge electric powered buses as they drive down it.
Around the world, infrastructure is rapidly being built to accommodate electric vehicles.
Now, a road in South Korea is able to charge electric powered buses as they drive down it.
Measuring 15 miles, it’s the first route in the world to use this technology.
Electrical cables embedded under the road surface transfer electromagnetic power to Online Electric Vehicle buses fitted with a receiver designed to convert the power into electricity.
The charging road system was developed by the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology’s Graduate School for Green Transportation.
Doctor Paul Nieuwenhuis from the Centre for Automotive Industry Research at Cardiff University said: “There is clearly a lot of potential for this technology for public transport applications, but for private electric vehicles the cost of fitting all roads with such systems may be prohibitive.”
In South Korea, two public buses are currently using the charging system, and 10 more are reportedly going to be added by the year 2015.
One benefit of using the new charging system is that the vehicles can use smaller batteries because they are being charged while they are in transit, rather than charging at the beginning and end of a journey.
